How to append multiple Paths to PYTHONPATH programmatically

Question

I have 4 directories:

/home/user/test1
/home/user/test2
/home/user/test3
/home/user/test4

I have another directory with tests

/home/user/testing

having the file testall.py

ow, how can I append PATHS, for test1 thru test4 to PYTHONPATH so that I can access the files under test1 thru 4.

btw, test1 thru 4 have multiple directories under them where the python files are located.

I tried:

import sys
import os
PROJECT_ROOT = os.path.dirname(__file__)
sys.path.insert(0,os.path.join(PROJECT_ROOT,"test1"))
sys.path.insert(1,os.path.join(PROJECT_ROOT,"test2"))
sys.path.insert(2,os.path.join(PROJECT_ROOT,"test3"))
sys.path.insert(3,os.path.join(PROJECT_ROOT,"test4"))

did not seem to work

also:

import sys
sys.path.append('/home/user/test1','/home/user/test2','/home/user/test3','/home/kahmed/test4')
from test1.common.api import GenericAPI

did not work.

basically: from test1.common.api import GenericAPI should work

Do you want to do this in a python script? (sys.path.append(path)), from you bash shell? export PYTHONPATH=${PYTHONPATH}:path1:path2:path3:path4, from csh like shells? setenv PYTHONPATH ${PYTHONPATH}:path1:path2:path3:path4 — mgilson
– mgilson, Commented May 15, 2012 at 19:43
i alos tried using bash and appending this line in /etc/profile export PATHONPATH=${PYTHONPATH}:/home/user/test1:/home/user/test2:/home/user/test3:/home/user/test4 but when i do echo $PYTHONPATH, i get nothing — kamal
– kamal, Commented May 15, 2012 at 19:50
do the directories have an __init__.py file in them (this makes a directory a module)? If not, put one in and then try sys.path.append('/home/user'); from test1.common.api import .... — mgilson
– mgilson, Commented May 15, 2012 at 20:01
After changing your /etc/profile did you log out and log in again? The system profile file is only re-read upon login. Alternatively, just execute that command directly in your current shell... — Has QUIT--Anony-Mousse
– Has QUIT--Anony-Mousse, Commented May 15, 2012 at 20:14

An Se · Accepted Answer · 2019-11-13 21:37:30Z

13

sys.path.append('/home/user/test1','/home/user/test2', ...) does not work because append() function can take only 1 argument.

What you could use instead is:

import sys
sys.path += ['/home/user/test1','/home/user/test2','/home/user/test3','/home/kahmed/test4']

edited Nov 13, 2019 at 21:37

answered May 30, 2019 at 14:31

An Se

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4 Comments

user3342981 Over a year ago

doesn't work on python3.7.4. I still have to do sys.path.append() on individual item to make python recognize those paths.

An Se Over a year ago

@user3342981 Just tested on 3.7.5 and it works. Check last elements of sys.path list, added path's will be there. += operator is an equivalent to .extend(), which works exactly like .append() but accepts multiple arguments.

user3342981 Over a year ago

Solution works for multiple paths only. For single path, it weirdly adds every character to path. Try sys.path += ('/home/user/test1'); print(sys.path). P.S. I know question is about multiple paths.

An Se Over a year ago

@user3342981 do sys.path += ['/home/user/test1'] for single path.

Has QUIT--Anony-Mousse · Accepted Answer · 2012-05-15 20:17:13Z

5

Try this:

import sys
sys.path.append('/home/user/')
from test1.common.api import GenericAPI

It is not recommended, but will maybe do what you meant to do? Because I guess your files are not in the folder /home/user/test1/test1/common/api/ ...

Given a python path of ["a", "b", "c"], trying to import a.b.c will look in a/a/b/c, then b/a/b/c and c/a/b/c. However, NOT in a/b/c. There is no matching of the module name starting with a and the python path ending with a and then leaving out one of the as. It strictly is path + module, not part-of-path + part-of-module.

Since your question is about "multiple paths", does a single path work for you yet? Doesn't seem so...

answered May 15, 2012 at 20:17

Has QUIT--Anony-Mousse

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1 Comment

kamal Over a year ago

this works, but i will still search for a universal solution, where the directories dont have to be hardcoded, and use relative paths. No it did not work for a single path.

falsetru · Accepted Answer · 2014-01-15 06:02:58Z

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